1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chair, in particular to a reclining chair in which the angle between the seat and backrest can be adjusted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chairs for reclining purposes, in general, are often of varying types of design due to differences in terms of function. For instance, there are designs which are intended to meet the ergonomic requirement, whereas there are designs which place emphasis on being lightweight, compact and convenient. Still there are designs which emphasize on the adjustability of the angle between the seat and backrest for a user to recline back.
In the past, the structure of chairs with adjustable angle between the seat and backrest generally consists of a horizontally arranged seat, a backrest adjustably mounted on the rear portion of the seat at a predetermined angle, and two side frames mounted on the left and right sides of the seat and backrest, respectively, for supporting the chair uprightly on the ground or floor. The side frames each include a leg mounted on the side edge of the seat for standing on the ground or floor, and an armrest mounted on the top portion of the leg. Such chair structure is further equipped with a mechanism for adjusting the angle between the seat and backrest. For a long time now, such a mechanism has always been achieved by further providing an elongated metal plate fastened along the length of the bottom portion of each armrest, for mounting of the adjustment mechanism on top of the corresponding side frames. Designs which can be considered breakthroughs are rarely seen.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a reclining chair with a unique adjustment mechanism.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention, a chair comprises a frame including a seat; a telescopic tube assembly including an outer tube mounted on the frame below the seat and an inner tube mounted movably inside the outer tube, the inner tube having one end extending out of the outer tube and connected pivotally to a front end of the seat, said one end of the inner tube being movable away from the outer tube to incline the seat, the outer tube having an opening; a lock unit mounted on the telescopic tube assembly for locking releasably the inner tube against the outer tube, the lock unit including a torsion spring which has a coiled portion sleeved around the inner tube inside the outer tube adjacent the opening, and two arms extending out of the outer tube through the opening from two ends of the coiled portion, the arms normally extending away from one another so as to cause the coiled portion to be wound tightly around the inner tube; and an operating unit mounted on the frame and connected to the arms for moving the arms toward one another so as to unwind the coiled portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a chair comprises a frame which includes a seat, a backrest connected pivotally to a rear end of the seat, a pair of armrests having rear ends respectively and pivotally connected to two sides of the backrest, a pair of armrest supports respectively connected to the armrests opposite to the backrest and extending downwardly and rearwardly to a level lower than the seat, and a connecting bar disposed below the seat and connected between the armrest supports, the armrests being immovable relative to the armrest supports; a telescopic tube assembly including an outer tube connected rigidly to the connecting bar intermediate the armrest supports and below the seat, and an inner tube mounted movably inside the outer tube and having one end extending out of the outer tube and connected pivotally to a front end of the seat opposite to the backrest, said one end of the inner tube being movable away from the outer tube to incline the seat; a lock unit mounted on the telescopic tube assembly for locking releasably the inner tube against the outer tube; and an operating unit mounted on the frame and connected to the lock unit so as to manipulate the lock unit.